Château Beychevelle - Saint-Julien 1986

Wine Advocate

90 / 100

byNeal Martinthe12/30/2016

The 1986 Beychevelle, which I tasted from magnum at the château, has what you might describe as a light-hearted nose with joie-de-vivre. Even from a larger format, among many 1986s tasted, this is one of the most approachable with wild strawberry, mulberry, cola and graphite aromas that unfurl in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with spice and clove on the entry. It comes across as fleshier than I was anticipating and atypically for the vintage, tapering towards the finish. Arguably rustic compared to some of its Saint Julien bedfellows, it nonetheless has charm and a sense of classicism. Tasted July 2016.

Wine Spectator

87 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe1/31/1999

Shows wet earth, tobacco and fruit character on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied, with velvety tannins and a dark-chocolate aftertaste. A bit more fruit concentration in the center-palate would be nice. Best after 2000. 26,500 cases made.

Wine Advocate

92 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe1/1/1998

While quite outstanding and deserving to be in any conscientiously stocked wine cellar, the 1986 Beychevelle does not quite have the extraordinary concentration and potential for longevity that I had thought it would. Nevertheless, this is still one of the best Beychevelles in the last 30 years. With its black/ruby color and huge bouquet of roasted fruit, this full-bodied, concentrated, rich wine should not be drunk before the mid-1990s. Anticipated maturity: Now-2010. Last tasted, 1/91.

Wine Spectator

93 / 100

the5/31/1989

Remarkably complex with rich, concentrated, tannic currant, spice and anise flavors, wrapped in smoky, cedary oak that gets tastier with every sip. It's best to wait until this one can fully develop, in 1997 or '98.